Tuesday, August 8, 2017

The Cure for Late-Night Cravings (actually, 5 of them)

Satisfying late-night cravings can do real damage to a strict diet. There are several reasons for this and various ways to address the habit. I've got five ideas that can help cure these cravings.

First, though, realize that you might not even have a real problem.

For instance, you may have heard that nighttime eating is a no-no, or that every
calorie consumed after a certain hour magically turns to fat. Sure,
metabolism slows at night - but not to a screeching halt. In fact,
there’s nothing wrong with eating after dinner if you’re truly hungry. The question is... are you?

Late-night cravings are common in people who
don’t eat enough during the day. Meal timing is also important for those who don't eat much during the day - saving most of their calories
for the evening meal - because they often have a difficult time not eating after
dinner. Make sure your breakfast and lunch are rich in
protein and fiber and low in sugar - and you may not want nighttime
snacks at all. Problem solved! However, if you just can’t stop your stomach’s late night grumblings,
consider the following strategies:

Investigate Your Hunger

Is your stomach really grumbling, or is your appetite all in your head? The first step when you think you’re feeling hungry is to figure out
whether it’s actual hunger or if there’s something else gnawing at you. Often the
culprit is habit, boredom, or an emotional trigger.

When you cheat on your diet with late-night eating, ask yourself a few questions in the morning, such as, "What kind of mood was I in when I decided to have cookies
last night? Was I feeling a certain way? Was I bored? Was I stressed? Was I sad or worried about something?” If there’s a mood-food connection, take a look at the underlying triggers. Distraction often helps. Come up with
a list of tasks that don’t involve food, such as putting dishes away, texting a
friend, brushing your teeth or some form of useful work. When a craving strikes, do
something from the list. Hang the list on the wall if you have to!

Meditate on Your Cravings

Before you reach for a snack, take a few moments to center yourself. In a study published in the journal Appetite,
people who did a brief meditation called a body scan - in which you
focus your attention on each area of your body (feet, legs, torso,
hands, arms, etc.), noticing and accepting feelings and sensations - kept their cravings from intensifying. Over time, such “mindful
meditation” can have even greater benefits, according to researchers at
the University of California. In their recent review in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine, they found that meditation can reduce binge eating.

Drink Some Tea

Stress often triggers late-night snacking. After a long, tiring day,
it’s common to seek out a reward in the form of a late-night nibble. How about pouring a cup of decaf herbal tea instead. It’s calming, and
it fills your stomach. Pick a flavor you like enough that
you’ll look forward to drinking it. Some brews, like passionflower, might even help you
snooze.

Eat Dessert

Some people are hardwired to want sugar. A study published in Twin Research and Human Genetics
shows that our perception of sweetness is largely determined by a
single set of genes. If you tend to crave dessert at night, finish your
dinner with a low-calorie sweet treat, suggests Gerg. This will help
prevent you from bingeing later on a quest for sweetness. Try 10 frozen
grapes or a clementine, or for a creamier option, try Chia Pudding.

Consume More Protein

Sometimes you really are legitimately hungry in the P.M. because you
didn’t eat enough earlier in the day - or you trained hard enough for your
muscles to need more fuel for recovery. A high-calorie nighttime meal
isn’t the solution, but a dose of protein is.

Some research suggests that consuming casein, an
easy-to-digest milk protein, at night has several fitness benefits. In
one study in young men, nighttime casein boosted morning metabolism. In another study
in obese women, casein improved morning fullness so long as
participants also worked out three times a week. All these threats - ‘don’t eat after 7, don’t eat after 8,’ - really don’t make sense in the
context of making a smart food choice. Just keep the
snack below 150 calories. Our recommendation: Beachbody Performance Recharge,
which will supply you with 20 grams of casein for just 100 calories. In
a pinch, a couple of scrambled eggs or ¾ cup cottage cheese or also good options.